


Keeping her company

by MemoryMonkey



Category: Assassination Classroom
Genre: Affection, Awkwardness, Blushing, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Hugging, Mutual Pining, Rain, umbrella sharing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-06 03:00:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21219467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MemoryMonkey/pseuds/MemoryMonkey
Summary: "Please don't leave," she repeated slowly and carefully as if her words could move mountains. "I really appreciate your company." Karma couldn't help but grin widely."Well when you put it like that-" he began, surprised when she cut him off."And don't be all smug," she insisted, pouting.On a walk to clear his head, Karma finds the quiet girl from class, giving directions to cars by the main road in the pouring rain. With nothing better to do, Karma decides to keep her company but is overwhelmed with affection in her concern for his health.





	Keeping her company

The rainfall was heavy out by the main road. Paying it no heed, Karma took in the fresh air as he aimlessly wandered, hoping to free some space in his head. Worked up from studies and personal feuds, it was a rare time where Karma just wanted to relax.

That was when he spotted someone he recognised. He was ready to sigh and turn the other way before his head clicked into gear and he realised it was Manami Okuda, the quiet girl from his class. She was stood by the entrance to some sort of festival, waving at oncoming cars. She was presumably stuck giving them directions.

He felt a twang of pity seeing her - the poor girl was wearing a skirt that was barely visible under her oversized raincoat, flashing a bright smile and waving to each car that drove into the festival and despite clutching into her umbrella for dear life, she was getting soaked.

Karma hadn't realised but he'd stopped in his tracks, just staring. He was lucky Okuda didn't notice him before he snapped out of it, awkwardly facing the ground. He wanted to go and say hi to her - she looked so desolate alone by the main road - but didn't want to distract her. Karma didn't have any idea he was so fond of her until he saw her smile brightly at each passing car and wave, lighting his heart up with protectiveness and appreciation.

He had zoned out again before a car drive past at high speed over a puddle - she managed to block the worst of it with her umbrella but it still left her soaked - he could only assume that had happened before but he still made note of the number plate. Seeing her briefly huff before putting her brave face on again, Karma knew he had to go and talk to her.

Briefly employing some of his silent acrobatics skills, the redhead approached the wall she was stood in front of some distance from her, before walking along it and sitting down on the edge right next to her. He barely noticed the rain that had soaked him through and through.

"Hey Okuda, what's going on?" He asked casually, relishing the surprise on her face as she spun around and saw him on the wall.

"K-Karma? I..." she stuttered, astonished. "R-right, sorry, there's a culture festival going on up ahead, you probably want to head to-"

"I didn't mean the festival, I mean what's going on with you?" He repeated brightly, resisting the urge to poke her in the nose as her brow furrowed in confusion.

"What?"

"You were looking kinda lonely out here. I thought I'd keep you company."

He watched Okuda's reaction - she was very nervous. Perhaps, with his reputation as a juvenile delinquent, Karma should have left her alone. She was probably scared of him. There was a brief, uncomfortable silence.

"K-Karma you're going to get wet up there!" She eventually concluded, holding out the umbrella tightly with both hands over Karma, leaving herself under the rain. Karma's heart was tying itself in knots.

"Hey, don't worry about me I'll be fine," he responded with a chuckle. "You'll get soaked too if you-"

"I'm already wet!" Okuda had her eyes screwed shut from determination and embarrassment as she ignored him, pushing the umbrella towards him. Karma was grinning widely, easily steering the umbrella back over her head, but her hands, knuckles white from the cold and her tight grip, brushed against his in her struggle.

Karma's eyes widened.

"Okuda! You're so cold, are you okay?"

But Okuda had frozen solid.

He heard an approaching car slow down and turned to face the road. Karma awkwardly pointed in the direction of the culture festival and breathed a sigh of relief as it drove into the festival carpark.

He quickly turned his attention back to Okuda, who was cradling his hand in both of hers, letting him hold the umbrella. She was shivering, her skin freezing but her breath was warm on his hand that she was holding close to her chest. Karma was fighting his rising heartbeat.

"Okuda, are you alright?" He asked quietly.

The girl looked up at him with wide, glistening eyes before she suddenly broke out of her trance and staggered backwards terrified.

Still holding the umbrella, Karma quickly moved off the wall and held it over her again but this time at arm's length, hoping not to intimidate her.

"S-s-I'm so sorry," she finally stuttered, her voice uneven and weak. "I don't know what I... You..."

"It's fine," he put on his best soothing tone

"B-but I didn't-"

"Okuda, it's alright." He continued slowly, concerned for her state of mind.

"I'm sorry you had to do my job for me," Okuda admitted with embarrassment, eventually taking the umbrella back end holding it tightly to her chest, eyeing the ground again. Everything about her screamed discomfort - her tight, closed posture, her downcast eyes, the tired look on her face - Karma hoped it wasn't because he was there, afraid to have made her day worse.

"I'm not a distraction am I?" He eventually forced himself to say, guilty of imposing himself in her. "Do you want me to-"

"Please don't leave!" Okuda was staring at him again, wide eyed and desperate. He felt butterflies in his stomach, suddenly filled with warmth again. He was relieved she wasn't afraid of him. There was a silence as the two maintained eye contact for a short while, Karma's will to protect never fading as she faced the ground again, her face turning red.

"Please don't leave," she repeated slowly and carefully as if her words could move mountains. "I really appreciate your company." Karma couldn't help but grin widely.

"Well when you put it like that-" he began, surprised when she cut him off.

"And don't be all smug," she insisted, pouting.

The rain was forgotten around them though Karma was silently pleased that Okuda was holding the umbrella over herself.

Around the corner, a lorry came hurtling down the road.

"Watch for the splash," he said casually.

"What?" Okuda asked, turning away from the road to face him.

Time slowed. The lorry was a second away from driving over the puddle. Okuda had turned away from the road because of what he said and she'd never block it with the umbrella in time. Panicking, Karma stepped right up to her, moving between her and the road.

He barely had time to register her turning bright red as he shielded her before he felt a massive, ice cold splash of water against his back.

He stepped back, flustered but pleased with himself. She was shocked and confused, eyes wide, extremely flustered, and staring daggers into him.

"Nevermind," he said with a goofy grin.

Poor Okuda was completely lost, her brain still catching up from when Karma had got close to her.

"Karma!" She eventually shouted, holding the umbrella over him.

"You have to take better care of yourself! You're going to catch a cold!"

"Honestly, I'll be fine," he repeated with a smirk, stepping out from under the umbrella and promoting her to keep it for herself.

Okuda had made up her mind as was having none of it - a glint of determination shone in her eyes as she marched towards him, pushing the umbrella into his chest.

"That's rubbish, you can at least try to make things easier for yourself and avoid getting a cold!"

Again Karma's heart squeezed from how adorable she was being. She probably knew he was right but still couldn't help being concerned for him.

"It was either me or you," he responded awkwardly, referring to the splash.

"Can it not be either of us?" Okuda responded, stepping into him. With barely any gap between their bodies, Okuda was holding the umbrella over both of them. It was the most adorable thing Karma seen in his life and his heart was melting. She had surprised him, he was getting more flustered each second - he had never expected her to do that.

"W-we're kinda close you know-" he mumbled stupidly, no idea how to respond.

"Well you came out here without an umbrella, you have to deal with it," she huffed in response, her face bright red. The two of them were almost hugging with how close they were - Karma was awkwardly trying to avoid touching her but it seemed like she was making no such effort.

"Heh, fine," Karma eventually chuckled. "I can't argue with you," he agreed as he gave up and stood under the umbrella with her.

They waited under the umbrella in a strange silence, Karma's heartbeat not slowing down. He had no idea what it was about Okuda that made him feel so happy but he was infatuated. Another car drove past and Karma got to see the girl flash her bright smile and wave them in again and he couldn't help smiling himself.

He was just starting to relax again before she suddenly turned and hugged him. His heart literally skipped a beat and his breath hitched as she took his hand in hers.

"Warm," she mumbled as an excuse and faced the ground.

Karma was left almost freaking out. Her hands were just as cold as before if not colder so he subconsciously wrapped her hand up in his, holding the umbrella for her. He was glad she was facing the ground or she'd see that he was turning red too.

Eventually Karma chuckled again. He had no idea she was this open to affection and he was certainly surprised, considering how nervous and introverted she was. If he'd known sooner, he would have hugged her every time he'd seen her in class.

He smiled, wrapping his free arm around her in response. She made a noise like a squeaky toy, turning into a statue again before slowly relaxing as he ran his hand through her mostly dry hair.

"Thanks for staying, Karma." She eventually half whispered, smiling brightly.

"Thanks for letting me."


End file.
